Press release from Living Web Farms:
With federal solar tax credits extending into another year, and green building development on the uptick in the Asheville, NC area, it pays to learn a bit about alternative energy. And, even if you don’t plan to use solar energy immediately, some foundation in how the sun can be put to work may plant the seed for a future project. Did you know there is a difference between solar panels that provide electricity, and solar panels that heat water? Did you know that the two should be evaluated differently, with respect to their value against the investment required? If you are considering a solar energy project, you should be thinking about where you can cut your carbon footprint the most.
These are the types of questions Living Web Farms hopes to help address, with the addition of an Energy & Resources Coordinator. Richard Freudenberger, formerly of BackHome Magazine and Mother Earth News, joined the Living Web Team last year to assist with model projects such as farm and home alternative energy and energy efficiency, gasification, biochar, composting toilets, fuel alcohol, and more. In an upcoming workshop on June 11th, Freudenberger will address design and installation of low cost home-scale solar hot water.
Why choose solar hot water? Freudenberger explains that while photovoltaic panels (solar panels used for producing electricity) “are only about 18 percent efficient, solar hot water collectors consistently rate at 75 percent efficiency or more.” Further, up to 20 percent of your home’s energy consumption goes to making hot water. If you use an electric water heater, you’re also leaving a much larger carbon footprint than if you heated water in other ways. A solar thermal system can supply all the hot water a family needs. “So, faced with the option of making electricity or hot water with solar, the hot-water choice is usually a good one in our sunny and temperate climate,” Freudenberger adds.
The class will cover the basics of solar energy, the environmental benefits, siting considerations, cost analysis, available tax incentives, components and equipment, and basic design strategies. Freudenberger will demonstrate a new solar thermal installation, and will also spend some time examining an efficient do-it-yourself solar collector that participants can build for a fraction of the cost of a commercially built collector.
Participants can expect to learn about the seasonal cycles of the sun’s path, the ideal “solar window,” how much energy is really available throughout the day, and how the seasons affect solar availability. Freudenberger will also discuss options in solar access, when there may be something blocking a full day’s sun.
“From an economic standpoint alone, making a commitment to solar energy guarantees an increasing return on your investment,” says Freudenberger. He adds that “the cost of electricity or propane is not going down– it is certain to increase as time goes on.” However, with solar in place, one can enjoy free energy for a good part of the year, and well beyond the time the equipment has paid for itself.
To register for the class, visit livingwebfarms.org
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